Use Case Diagrams

A Detailed Description
 Use Case Diagrams
Use case diagrams describe relationships
between users and use cases
A use case is a (usually high-level) user activity
in the system
A use case is a collection of related success and
failure scenarios that describe actors using a system
to support a goal
A use case name should generally begin with a verb
 Use Case Diagrams
Use case diagrams consist of at least two
components:
An actor
Actors are represented as stick people, with a label
below, naming the actor's role
There may be multiple actors in a diagram
A use case
Use cases are represented as ellipses, with a label
inside, naming the use case
There may be multiple use cases in a diagram
 Use Cases
For an example, consider an auction
website (e.g. eBay)
The actor customer might:
Register for an account
Search for items by keyword
Place a bid on an item
Put an item up for auction
Check the status of this item
 Actors
An actor represents a role that a user
might play
For example, a network administrator at a
company might play the following roles:
NetAdmin
Employee
Each role must be represented separately
 Use Cases
For the auction website example, a system
administrator can act in two roles:
Administrator
Customer
Auction Website Use Cases
Auction Website

Search for item

Place bid

Put item up
for auction

Customer
Register account
 Use Case Diagrams
Obviously, actor and use case names
must be unique within a given diagram
Consider use cases to be similar to
classes:
A use case describes an activity that is
possible
A given system may have several instances of
that activity throughout its lifetime
A use case is a (coarse-grained/large) unit of
behaviour, and a class is a unit of software
 A simple example
Example: In an on-line Bookstore system, user
needs to log-in first before he/she could order
and purchase any desired books. Describe the
use case for the log-in process of the on-line
Bookstore system.
Answer: For every log-in process, there are two
flows
When the log-in is successful (main-flow)
When the log-in is not successful (alternate-flows)
For each flow, we can describe the sequence/flow of
events.
 Log-in

Customer
Use Case: Use Case Description:
Log-in A CUSTOMER needs to log-in before performing any transaction

Pre-condition:
A registered user.

Post-condition:
The CUSTOMER has been authorised to perform transactions.
Case Study: On-Line
Bookstore
 On-line Bookstore is a web application that can
be accessed by the stores registered customer,
whereby each customer can order books, review
one or more books sold in the book store, and
sell used books to other customers. Before
performing any one of these transactions, the
customer must first log-in into the system using
their user id and password kept in their account.
Problem: Draw the use-case diagram for the
above system
 The steps involved: -
Identify the actor : CUSTOMER
Identify the use case for the actor:
CUSTOMER
REGISTER
LOG-IN
ORDER BOOKS
CHECK OUT
REVIEW BOOKS
SELL USED BOOKS
For each use case, determine include and extend
relationships, if any
A Customer must log-in first before he/she can order books,
check out, review books or sell used books: include
relationship
A Customer can proceed to check out after he/she has
ordered books: extend relationship
 On-line Bookstore System

Register

<<extend>>
(CustID) Check out

Customer Order books

<<include>>

<<include>>
Sell used books Log-in

<<include>>

Review books
Use Case Context
Diagram
Use Description
Case
Register A new CUSTOMER needs to first register into the system before
performing any transaction.
Actor/s: CUSTOMER
Pre-condition: An unregistered CUSTOMER.
Main flow of events:
1. The CUSTOMER clicks the REGISTER button on the Home
Page.
2. The system displays the Register Page.
3. The CUSTOMER enters all of the required information.
4. The CUSTOMER clicks the SEND button.
5. The system checks that all of the required information were
entered. If
yes, the system update the CUSTOMERs record in the
CUSTOMER
and ACCOUNT tables in the database. System displays OK
message.
Post-condition:
The new CUSTOMER has registered. The ACCOUNT and
CUSTOMER tables are updated.
Log-in A CUSTOMER needs to log-in before performing any transaction
Actor/s: CUSTOMER
Use Case Description
Log-in 2. The system displays the Log-in Page.
(continue 3. The CUSTOMER enters his/her user ID and password.
) 4. The CUSTOMER clicks the OK button.
5. The system validates the log-in information against the
ACCOUNT
table in the database.
6. CUSTOMER is an authorised user; the system displays the
Personal
Home Page to the CUSTOMER
Post-condition:
The CUSTOMER has been authorised to perform transactions.
Alternate flow:
1. The CUSTOMER clicks the Log-in button on the Home Page.
2. The system displays the Log-in Page.
3. The CUSTOMER enters his/her user ID and password.
4. The CUSTOMER clicks the OK button.
5. The system validates the log-in information against the
ACCOUNT
table in the database.
6. CUSTOMER is not an authorised user; the system displays a
pop-up message to inform the CUSTOMER.
Use Case Description
Order A CUSTOMER can order books to purchase.
Books Actor/s: CUSTOMER
Pre-condition: User have logged-in.
Main flow of events:
1. The CUSTOMER enters the keyword for a book and clicks
the
SEARCH button on the Personal Home Page.
2. The system displays the matching books on the web Page.
3. The CUSTOMER chooses the desired book and clicks the
ADD TO
SHOPPING CART button on the web page.
4. The system adds the book into the CUSTOMERs Order table
in the database.
Post-condition:
The ORDER table has been updated.
Check Out A CUSTOMER can purchase the books in his/her Shopping
Cart.
Actor/s: CUSTOMER
Pre-condition: The user have logged in and has at least one
book in the Shopping Cart. Main flow of events:
1. The CUSTOMER clicks the Check out button on the Web
Use Case Description
Check Out 2. The system displays the books in the ORDER table of the
(continue CUSTOMER on the web Page.
) 3. The CUSTOMER checks the order list for any inconsistency. If
nothing found, CUSTOMER clicks the PROCEED button.
4. The system displays the Invoice page.
5. The Customer enters the relevant credit card information and
clicks
the OK button.
6. The system checks that the credit card is valid. Then, the
system
displays the Delivery Details page.
7. The CUSTOMER chooses destination for delivery, along with
delivery options. Then, he/she clicks the PROCEED button.
8. The system will display the check-out information for
confirmation.
7. The CUSTOMER checks that all information is correct and
then
clicks the OK button.
8. The system sends a confirmation via CUSTOMERs e-mail.
Post-condition:
The ORDER table has been updated.
Use Case Description
Sell Used Main flow of events:
Books 1. The CUSTOMER clicks the Sell Used Books button on the
(continue Home
) Page.
2. The system displays the Sell used books web page.
3. The CUSTOMER enters the required information on the used
books
that he/she wants to sell.
4. The CUSTOMER clicks the SEND button on the webpage.
5. The system displays a confirmation page listing the
information that
the CUSTOMER has entered.
6. The CUSTOMER checks that the information displayed are
accurate.
If yes, the CUSTOMER clicks the OK button on the web page.
7. The system updates the USED BOOKS table in the database.
Post-condition:
The Used Books table has been updated.
Review A CUSTOMER can review books.
Books Actor/s: CUSTOMER
Pre-condition: User have logged-in..
Use Case Description
Review 2. The system displays the matching books on the web Page.
Books 3. The CUSTOMER checks for the desired book and clicks on
(continue the chosen book icon.
) 4. The system displays the books detail in the Book Detail web
page.
5. The CUSTOMER clicks the REVIEW button on the web page.
6. The system displays the Review Book web page.
7. The CUSTOMER clicks on the desired star button and the
click the
OK button on the web page.
8. The system calculates the overall rating of the book and
updates the
Book table in the database.
9. The system displays the Book Detail web pages that have
been
updated.
Post-condition:
The BOOK and REVIEW tables are updated.